PASADENA – Third-grader Jordanne Yates plucked a handful of books off the shelves at Vroman’s bookstore Friday morning, scanning books that bore the title of the popular “Junie B. Jones” series.

She was among 23 students from Willard Elementary School who were treated to a small shopping spree, courtesy of a local women’s group.

“I’m excited because reading is a good experience since I’m about to go into fourth grade,” Jordanne said.

The event was put on by Women of the Woods, a nonprofit based in the Chapman Woods area of the city, near Willard. Every year, the group provides funds to Willard students in honor of Lucy Anderson, a local author and former member of Women of the Woods, who passed away three years ago and left a $500 gift for the group to spend as it pleased.

“We felt this was the appropriate way to honor her,” said Sally Birge, who founded Women of the Woods.

“It’s the greatest legacy my mother could have left,” said Anderson’s daughter, Carolyn Lee. “She was an avid reader.”

The students – second- through sixth-graders – were hand-picked by their teachers for the shopping spree, said Elena Camarillo, a language development and curriculum resource teacher at Willard.

Each student had a $20 spending limit, and Vroman’s offered a 10-percent discount, Birge said. The only restrictions were that the students had to select full-length books, which meant no comics or activity books.

“It’s great because it gives them the opportunity to get books that they might not have otherwise,” said Cory Badertscher, technology coordinator for the school.